


Mission Accomplished

by Bookcaseninja



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Mention of guns, Suspense, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25719439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookcaseninja/pseuds/Bookcaseninja
Summary: The freelancers get sent to assist a station in distress.  They do not expect what they find there
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

_ The reader’s p.o.v. _

You remember waking to the catastrophe like waking from a strange dream.

For a moment, you laid in bed groggily, cursing as you fumbled around the nightstand with one hand. Then you realized that the loud, blaring sound  _ wasn’t _ your alarm clock.

Your eyes flew open at the realization and you shot upright in bed, kicking the covers off as you fumbled for the light switch above the nightstand. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a red glow coming through the crack between your bedroom door and the floor.

Red Alert.

“ _ Shit _ ,” You swore viciously. What the hell was going on?

Finally finding the light switch, you flicked it on, blinking as the lights came on glowing red as well. You barely gave yourself any time to adjust before you were flinging yourself out of bed and to the closet, nearly tripping in your haste to throw some clothes on.

As you pulled on your shoes, you radioed down to the security station. Or at least tried to.

“Y/L/N to security,” You said, pushing down the yawn that threatened to rise. You knew without looking at the clock that it was extremely early. “What’s going on? Why’s the red alert up?”

Your inquiry was met with nothing but a crackle of static and then silence.

Straightening from where you were kneeling to tie up your boots, you frowned at the com. Somebody should've answered you the moment you radioed in.

You pressed its button and tried again. "Security? This is Y/L/N. What the hell is going on??"

Still there was nothing.

Frown deepening, you finished tying your boots before reaching into your nightstand for your taser. Sliding your com into your pocket, you hurried out the door, forgetting to turn off the lights in your haste.

Meh. It was an emergency after all.

Despite the alarm still going off and the red emergency filters over nearly every light, the hallway outside your quarters was strangely devoid of people. You swore again; what the hell was going on? This corridor should be filled with people hurrying to their stations, so where was everyone?

Gripping the taser tightly in your hand, you walked quickly down the hall, in the direction of the security station. For the first dozen feet or so, you didn’t pass anyone except a couple of cleaning androids. You attempted to speak to them, but none of them would respond

“Report,” You addressed the first one you came across. “What is going on? Why is there a red alert?”

“Error 404,” A static-y computerized voice came from the android. “Please reboot the server and try your request again.

You sighed and shifted your weight. “Reboot and restart,” You ordered the android. A high-pitched beep pierced through the loud wail of the red alert alarm, followed by a whirring sound as the android rebooted itself. When a blue light flashed in its eyes - a clear signal that it had restarted itself, you repeated your inquiry. “Report. What is going on? Why is the red alert up?”  _ And why the hell wasn’t I notified? _

“E-e-error 404,” The android repeated its earlier response. “Please reboot the server and try your request again.

You sighed again. “Fuck it,” You swore under your breath before addressing the robot again “Reboot and restart. Send maintenance a request to fix you.”

“Affirmative,” The android replied, then the high-pitched beep and whir sounded again as it restarted and rebooted itself again. You winced at the sound piercing your eardrums as you walked away, resisting the urge to rub at your ears. You came across two other androids in the living quarters section of the station and attempted to get status reports from them as well but with no success. It seemed as though they were all malfunctioning at the same time.

The thought sent a feeling of unease to your stomach. If you quickened your pace a tiny bit, well, nobody was there to notice.

You breathed a sigh of relief when you reached the doors leading to the mess hall.  _ Surely there’s someone who knows just what in the galaxy is going on, _ You thought.

You were dead wrong however.

The mess hall was just as empty as the corridor you’d just exited. The only thing in there with any semblance of sentience was - wait for it - yet another android. This one, at least, seemed to be working; it was kneeling in front of one of the replicators, seeming to be fixing it or something.

“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” You said to the massive, empty room. You stared at the android for a brief moment, debating whether you should see if you could get a status report from this one. “Ah fuck it,” You muttered to yourself as you started walking over towards it. It was worth a shot, right?

“Report,” You addressed it. The android didn’t stop working as you moved it, but that was normal. “Please tell me what the hell is going on in the station?”

Sadly though, your life just seemed to be full of disappointments this morning.

“Error 404,” The android jerkily started to reply.

Of course.

_ Of fucking course _ .

“God damn it,” You muttered under your breath before joining the android in saying the last part. “‘Please reboot the server and try your request again.’ Yeah, sure. Thanks a lot.” This time you didn’t even bother telling it to call maintenance for a repair request.

You turned to leave and was almost at the door when you noticed something. One of the ceiling vents right in front of the door was leaking… and it didn’t look like water. It was a semi clear, sticky-looking substance that appeared to drip from one corner of the vent.  _ Eugh. _ You made a mental note to call that into maintenance when you reached the security station and edged around the ceiling vent, not wanting to find out what kind of substance it was.

A few feet outside the mess hall, you finally,  _ finally _ found someone sentient to talk to. You slid your taser into its holster on your belt and ran after the person.

“Hey!” You called out. “Hey! Dani, wait up!”

Dani, a friend from hydroponics, paused in her tracks, tensing, and slowly turned around, her hand going for… a gun? Tucked into her belt? Fear and anger was painted on her face...

... Your hand instinctively went to your taser…

... Then she saw your face and she seemed to sigh in relief, though she didn’t relax. Her hand didn’t leave her belt either and neither did yours.

“Y/N, thank fucking god,” She said and smiled. Or at least she tried to; it came out strained looking and looked more like a grimace than an actual smile “Where the hell have you been?”

“Looking for everyone else,” You replied. “I woke up to the red alert alarm going off. Dani, what the hell is going on? Where is everyone? I tried getting reports from the androids I’ve passed but all of them seem to be malfunctioning.”

“Oh, they’ve been malfunctioning for a few hours now. There was a solar storm sometime during the night and I think it fucked up their internal processing or something.” For a moment, Dani’s voice was weirdly calm. Then her sad attempt at a smile faded. “Didn’t you call into the security station? I thought that was protocol.” Again, her hand twitched towards her belt.

“I did but no one answered,” You said, your hand also twitching towards your own belt. Just what the hell was going on on this damn station? Why did Dani, who, as far as you knew was a pacifist or something, carrying a gun around? And where the fuck was everyone else? “... And the living quarters are dead as a doorknob. So is the mess for that matter.”

Dani winced at yours words and looked around - for who or what, you weren’t sure because the hall was silent completely empty except for you both - then stepped closer to you. You tried not to tense.

Her voice was just a whisper when she spoke again, “You, uh, didn’t hear it from me but, ah, rumor is there’s someone on the station who’s been going a, um… killing spree?”

You blinked.  _ “What? _ ” A killing spree? Why didn’t anyone call you? This was serious shit.

She nodded quickly. “Management’s been trying to squash the rumor, but they haven’t had much success. They’re currently telling everyone to remain calm and head to the safe rooms. Which was where I was headed.”

It was your turn to nod. “That’s a good idea. You should head there. Right now” After a quick moment of thought, you pulled out your taser. “I’ve gotta get to the security station and find out why no one thought to radio me when this first began.” It was probably Johnson who’d neglected to call you. The stupid sexist pig.

“Good idea.” Dani echoed your actions by pulling out her gun. You stared at it for a moment, wondering where she’d gotten it and how she’d managed to get aboard the station (guns were strictly banned by the company that owned it). Her free hand touched your arm and snapped you out of your reverie. “Be safe?” She offered, this time with a small but genuine smile. “And kick Johnson’s ass for me,” She added.

You couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Will do.” And with a small pat on her back, you gestured for her to head down where the hallway veered to the left. You waited until she turned the corner at the other end before turning and heading down where the hallway veered to the right. This time, you pulled your taser out as, well as your com, clutching both in separate hands.

“Y/L/N to security,” You murmured into the com, receiving no reply but static in your return. Even if there was somehow someone on the other side of the line, there was no guarantee that they’d be able to hear you. But still, you had to try.

“Y/L/N,” You murmured into the com again. “I’ve received a status report from a hydroponics worker and am coming to help. Stand by for assistance.” You held your finger down on the button for a moment or two longer than nessecary, briefly holding onto the hope that someone,  _ anyone _ , would answer. But, of course, no one did.

And no one would.


	2. Chapter 2

When the UNSC Military Control station received a distress call from the Ember L. Lynn Space Station and Science Center - or the E.L.L.S.S.A.S.C.N., which sounded much more ridiculous - Ellen Murray had just sat down at the start of her shift. When she saw it was Chadwick Bates, the manager of the station, she swore viciously.

_Motherfucker_.

She hadn’t even had the chance to get some coffee yet.

Ellen looked mournfully in the direction of the break room before sitting down and sliding her headset on. “UNSC Military Control, this is Lieutenant Murray speaking. How may I assist you today?”

_“UNSC Military Control, this Mr. Bates from the Ember L. Lynn space center in the Helios system. We are requesting immediate assistance. Do you read me?”_

“Affirmative. What do you need, Director Bates?”

_“Men. We need lots of men.”_

That made her blink in surprise..

“... Mr. Bates… excuse me for asking… “ She paused for a moment; there was no gentle way to phrase this, “... but how long have you been out there exactly?”

_“Not like that! We need help, damn it!”_ The manager practically roared in her ears, his voice going high pitched and squeaky at the end of his words. Ellen winced and turned down the volume of her headset a tiny bit.

“Sorry, sir, and roger. What do you need?” _Don’t sound sarcastic, don’t sound sarcastic, Ellen._

_“I already told you! We need men, damn it! We need- fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!”_

_That_ made her sit straight up, Something was definitely wrong this time. There were frantic footsteps, then a metallic squeak and bang, like a locker door opening and slamming shut.

“Sir, what’s the matter?”

Nothing but static responded to her question. That worried her even more.

“Sir? Mr. Bates?” _Please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead, please don’t be-_

_“Quiet!”_ Mr. Bates’s voice was a whisper, furious but still a sharp contrast to his earlier yelling.

“Mr. Ba-”

_“I said quiet, damn you!”_

A few minutes of silence passed. Ellen stared at the screen in front of her, at the lines that had gone strangely still. She debated whether to hang up before sighing and lowering her voice. “What the hell is going on?” She whispered. She felt a little ridiculous but she knew she would never forgive herself if she inadvertently got someone killed.   
Another few minutes of silence passed and then-

Mr. Bates swore silently and seemed to suck in a deep breath. Ellen was about to ask if it was safe to talk again when she heard it; faint crashing sounds that steadily grew louder. A bloodcurdling scream and a… roar? That was the only way she could describe it, a roar that drew a shudder from her and gave her mental images of dinosaur-like creatures.

After a moment, the crashing sounds continued growing louder and louder still. A quiet _swish_ signalled that a door opened and then the crashing was inside the room. There were smaller noises like clothing shifting, closer to the phone, like Mr. Bates was trying to squeeze even further into the whatever hiding space he had found. Even Ellen found herself holding her breath as the crashing stopped and was replaced by a hissing growl that would guarantee that she’d never sleep again.

Three, tension-filled moments of suspense later, the hissing growl came again, followed by more crashing. The _swish_ of the door again and the crashing began to fade until it finally disappeared. Ellen stayed quiet, though she pulled up a tab on her computer and quickly filled out an urgent request form for assistance to the space station.

She had just clicked send when Mr. Bates spoke up again, his voice still a whisper. _“Do you see now,_ Lieutenant _?”_ There was a bitter, sarcastic tone in his voice that Ellen chose to ignore.

_“_ I’ve sent a distress call to the nearest starship to your location. The- _”_ She paused to check the ship’s name, _“_ -the Mother of Invention should be receiving it right now and be inbound shortly. _”_

A relieved sigh whistled on the other end. _“Thank you,”_ He breathed.

“No problem, just doing my job. I’d recommend- _”_ Ellen was about to recommend that an evacuation order be placed, to make things easier on both the ship’s crew as well as the space station’s. But the manager would never know that, because he hung up before she could voice her recommendation.

“God damn it,” She growled, “That stupid, little bastard! What a-” The phone started to ring once again, cutting her words off which, to be honest, was probably a good thing. She briefly considered passing the call onto another operator so she could call Mr. Bates back before shaking her head. Her work there was done. Time to move on and help the next person.

With a sigh, she slid her headset on. _“_ UNSC Military Control, this is Lieutenant Murray speaking. How may I assist you today?”

If her superiors noticed that she kept up a tab of the space station’s status, they didn’t ask and she didn’t explain. She watched it like a hawk in between calls, praying to a deity she didn’t believe in that the ship would make it in time.

They had to.

* * *

_Carolina’s P.O.V._

Too. Damn. Early.

That was Agent Carolina's singular thought when her data pad rang loudly and annoyingly, waking her from a nice sleep and alerting her to a call. With a groaned curse, she rolled over and swiped up on the data pad. She didn't bother masking the annoyance in her voice as she answered, "Isn't a little early for a wake up call, F.I.L.S.S.?"

Never mind the fact that it was going on three in the morning or the fact that she had just got back from a reconnaissance mission and the measley few hours of sleep she'd gotten during that three day period was not enough for her to function properly. Hell, it wasn't enough for _anyone_ to function properly.

Despite this, she was still awake. And F.I.L.S.S. either didn't notice the annoyed tone in Carolina's voice, or she chose to ignore it. Either way, she was still talking. "Good morning, Agent Carolina. The Director requests your presence on the bridge."

Carolina frowned and stifled a yawn. "What for?" She asked, pushing herself into a sitting position.

"I am not at liberty to discuss this over the coms," F.I.L.S.S. replied and that made Carolina frown more. What was going on? The ship A.I's next words did not help the situation. "This is an urgent matter, so please hurry."

Ah, hell.

"Roger that. Tell the Director I'm on my way." Carolina swung her legs over the edge of the bed, already looking for the clothes she'd thrown somewhere near her nightstand only a couple hours before, too tired to be bothered with searching for her laundry hamper in the dark. "Carolina out," She said, almost as an afterthought.

"Affirmative. We will see you on the bridge, Agent Carolina," F.I.L.S.S. said, and then there was a small beep and low hum as the call disconnected.

Carolina flipped on a light on her bedside table and quickly threw on her clothes from last night, yawning whilst she did so. She ran out the door as soon as her shoes were tied, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail as she did. The lamp on her bedside table was still on, forgotten in her haste.

Halfway down the hall, she ran into Washington - headed the same way she was - and frowned. "What are you doing up so late, rookie?" She asked. Just about everyone on the ship knew about his chronic insomnia, but she figured he'd be asleep too. After all, he'd been on the same mission and had gotten roughly the same amount of sleep as her.

"F.I.L.S.S. called. Said the Director wanted to see me," He said with a shrug and Carolina's frown deepened. At the look on her face, he add, "Why?"

"Did she say it was urgent?" All this time, they didn't stop walking. As they neared the locker room, Carolina saw a tall figure disappear inside. _North?_ She thought. _What was going on?_

"... Is something wrong, boss?" Wash asked, concern seeping into his voice. He hadn't responded to her question, but she supposed he didn't need to. She already knew the answer.

"I'm not sure..." She said. "Let's go get suited up." She sped up her pace, until she was almost jogging, with the rookie right at her heels.

In the doorway to the locker room, she froze and Wash accidentally ran into her. "Sorry, Bo-" He'd started to say, but then froze as well when he caught sight of what she did.

It was indeed North that she had seen walk into the locker room from down the hall. He was rummaging through his locker, pulling out his armor and stacking it on the bench... as was York, who was already in his kevlar and neoprene undersuit. Pieces of his armor were scattered around him.

"Hey, Carolina," York said, confusion coloring his voice. "Wash." He nodded to her and the rookie in greeting.

The same confusion was in her own voice. "Hey." She forced herself to move, to step into the room. As she stepped up to her locker, the same question that had been peppering her head since F.I.L.S.S. woke her up found a voice.

"Just what the hell is going on?"


End file.
